Around the World With No Luggage: An Introduction

Bangkok in Three Acts

Hanging With the Animal Paparazzi in South Africa

The African-Bush Elephant-Poop Cold Remedy

In Fez: Walk Until the Day Becomes Interesting

Tapas for Ignoramuses: Madrid in 9 Dishes and 7 Drinks

The Wrong Town in Morocco

Thailand to Malaysia: Scenes From a Train

An Egyptian Straight-Razor Shave (In 21 Easy Steps)

Broadcast Television

American Pilgrim (Travel Channel, 2008)

An outtake from "American Pilgrim," which Rolf hosted for the Travel Channel. In this scene Rolf interviews brewer Drew Brosseau, who owns the Mayflower Brewing Company in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and is a descendant of Pilgrim Father John Alden. The show, which debuted in November of 2008, examines the travel conditions of the Mayflower Pilgrims.

21 Sexiest Beaches (Travel Channel, 2008)

In this outtake from a Travel Channel special called "21 Sexiest Beaches," Rolf and other global travel experts talk about why Ipanema Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is one of the sexiest beaches in the world.

25 Mind-Blowing Escapes (Travel Channel, 2007)

In this outtake from a Travel Channel special called "25 Mind-Blowing Escapes," Rolf and other global travel experts talk about why Angkor Wat in Cambodia is one of the world's most fascinating destinations.

Odyssey (DirecTV, 2007)

Rolf humorously shops for fireworks on the El Salvador-Honduras border in this outtake from "Odyssey," which aired on DirecTV in the United States and on National Geographic Adventure, OLN, and the Extreme Sports Channel internationally. (Footage begins at 00:30)

Video lectures

University of Pennsylvania (November 2011)

An hour-long lecture on the influence and example of Emanuel Haldeman-Julius, the "The Henry Ford of Literature," whose "Little Blue Books" created a mail-order information superhighway that paved the way for the sexual revolution, influenced the feminist and civil rights movements, and foreshadowed the Age of Information.

The DO Lectures (September 2009)

The DO Lecture series features talks and presentations by cutting-edge experts from a wide variety of disciplines — from mountaineers to sustainable architects to graphic designers. In this lecture, Rolf discusses vagabonding and the ethic of long-term travel, challenging the audience to view time as the truest form of wealth in life, and to live a life that is less mediated by electronics and more informed by the people and places that surround you.

Shakespeare & Co. Bookstore (Pt. 1) (July 27, 2009)

Rolf reads from the "Tantric Sex For Dilettantes" chapter of Marco Polo Didn't Go There, then goes on to read the humorous annotations from Chapter 15, which highlight the idiosyncrasies of a character named Mr. Ibrahim.

Shakespeare & Co. Bookstore (Pt. 2) (July 27, 2009)

A Q&A session between Rolf and the Shakespeare and Co. audience. Topics discussed include the ethics of tourist economies, the sometimes-tainted reputation of travel writing, how one can get to know a city through a single neighborhood block, the anthropology of tourist behavior, the idea that refugees are the true "adventure travelers," the origin of the title "Marco Polo Didn't Go There," Bruce Chatwin's decision to not include Salman Rushdie in The Songlines, and the future of travel writing in the digital age.

Authors@Google (August 2007)

An hour-long video of Rolf talking in depth about vagabonding and the art of long-term world travel. Includes Q&A questions from the audience. A minute-by-minute breakdown of the session's themes can be found here.

Ninja Interviews (February 2012)

NBC New York (November 2010)

On her "Backyard Travel" show, New York NBC contributor AnneLise Sorensen catches up with Rolf just after he circumnavigated the globe with no luggage at all.

Australia's "Weekend Today" (September 2010)

From Singapore, Rolf talks with the hosts of Australia's "Weekend Today" show about the challenges and idiosyncrasies of traveling around the world with no luggage.

Adventure Aaron's "Alive!" (August 2010)

Aaron Carotta, host of the Halogen Network travel show "Alive!" talks with Rolf about vagabonding and ultra-light travel, on the eve of Rolf's no-baggage round-the-world journey.

BootsnAll TV (November 2008)

Rolf talks travel with Chris Heidrich of Bootsnall.com during the Portland stop of his Marco Polo Didn't Go There book tour. Topics covered include getting the most out of a short-term journey, how to stay open to the unexpected on the road, and whether or not it's really possible to get "off the beaten path."

National Geographic Traveler (April 2008)

National Geographic Traveler editor Keith Bellows talks to Rolf about the art of long-term world travel, the legacy of the Hippie Trail, the joys of traveling in despotic countries, and Rolf's new book project about Latin American dance.

Pusanweb (June 1999)

In his first-ever video interview, Rolf talks about independent travel, literary influences, writing for Salon.com, expatriate life in Korea, and his upcoming travel adventures.

Radio and audio

Peter Greenberg Worldwide Hosted by Peter Greenberg  September 1, 2010 In the midst of his attempt to travel around the world with no luggage, Rolf talks about his adventures with radio and TV personality Peter Greenberg.

NPR's Walt Bodine Show
Co-hosted by Gina Kaufmann  February 18, 2009
Rolf talks about long-term travel and Marco Polo Didn't Go There with Kansas City public radio legend Walt Bodine.

The JOB Radio Show
Hosted by Larry Olson  November 15, 2008
Rolf discusses his most colorful adventures from 10 years as a travel writer  from storming a Leonardo DiCaprio film set in Thailand, getting stranded in Siberia, to driving a Land Rover from California to Argentina.

World Hum: Reflections on Home
Produced by Michael Yessis  November 18, 2007
In this audio slide-show, Rolf and New York Times travel columnist Matt Gross discuss where they live, and how travel has influenced how they look at home.

Frommers.com podcast
Hosted by David Lytle  September 16, 2007
Topics covered in this 20-minute chat include overcoming the language barrier while traveling, how literature inspires travel, keeping safe on the road, how to meet people in your travels, and Rolf's summer writing classes in Paris.

SmarterTravel.com podcast
Hosted by Christine Sarkis  June 11, 2007
A podcast interview about to plan for your first solo trip. Includes reasons why solo travel beats group travel, and resources for preparing for a solo journey.

NPR's "Travel With Rick Steves"
Hosted by Rick Steves  May 19, 2007
In an hour-long session for this weekly public radio show, guidebook guru Rick Steves interviews Rolf about the art of long-term travel.

NPR's "On the Line"
Hosted by Brian Lehrer  March 1, 2000
Rolf joins Joe Cummings of Lonely Planet and Susan Orlean of the New Yorker to discuss the ethics and idiosyncrasies of backpacker culture in light of the Leonard DiCaprio movie, "The Beach."